this is a small excerpt off the cspo site that i think is kind of fitting with all the talk of tactical... I'd give proper credit to its author if i knew who it was. (should have know, Mr. Canada is the author... lots of insight here).. the full article can been seen at
www.canadianscenariopaintball.com"In the world of paintball, being tactical is this:
1- Figuring out how the game is supposed to work. What the criteria are for winning, whether it be getting to a certain spot, holding back the enemy forces, scoring points, or what have you. Study the game with a calm collected head with your entire group. Figure out any loopholes, any opportunities to surprise your enemy, crush your enemy, sneak around your enemy. Evaluate possible techniques against the skill levels and technological equipment sophistication in your group, and the amount of funds you can spend on ammunition.
2- Communicating the plan to your group, ensuring that each member of your group knows exactly what they should be doing to follow the plan; also having a few backup plans in case the tactic itself isnt working and your group needs to adapt mid-game.
3- Communicating onfield, ensuring that your entire team can communicate and be eachothers eyes and ears.
4- Evaluation. Evaluating your tactic that you have employed against whether it is successful or not, and knowing when and how to decide whether the tactic should be adapted, abandoned, retooled, or altered in order to increase your chances of success.
5- Equipment. Knowing the game, field, location, layout and objectives ahead of time so that your group can choose the most appropriate equipment for the field, paint costs, scenario, both relative to the scenario as well as to the rest of the players who will be attending.
6- Attire. Knowing the terrain and wearing attire that will assist you in employing your tactics. If your team's tactic will be to stalk the enemy, camoflage is in order. If your team's tactic will be to distract the enemy, you may want some players in camoflage and others in rediculous outfits to grab attention.
"Tactical" is a good word to describe a way to play; however it is often misused, and is the butt of many debates which can be very divisive in paintball. The marketing efforts of various companies towards the scenario market confuses this, rather than helps it.
Hopefully this will put to rest the perpetual, "neener neener we're more tactical than you" debate. This debate will rage on forever in paintball; until enough people know exactly what "tactical" and "tactics" mean so that they can correct their fellow players who may have developed the wrong idea, that it is about realism, simulation, attire, or rate of fire."
